vol. 38, no. 5 september - october 2014 - united states …. 38, no. 5 september - october 2014...

Vol. 38, No. 5 September - October 2014

Crossing the Sandy River Flood of 1964

2 September - October 2014 Corps’pondent ®

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Cover photo: An emergency crew member crosses the Upper Sandy River after flooding washes out the bridges.

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September - October 2014

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

3 Commander’s Column: Doing what we say, saying what we do

5 Portland District People: Nick Cooper

6 Portland District’s Portland to Coast walking teams race toward victory

7 Bonneville’s BERT sharpens rescue skills with Skamania County emergency services

8 National Awards

10 Shifting river, national policy changes community’s role

14 Portland District team wins dam safety excellence award

16 Partners make Springfield dream a reality

18 Reminder: hunting not allowed on most corps lands

19 REACT, Portland District’s new Emergency Management tool

20 Prepare for an emergency now!

Corps’pondent is an authorized unofficial newsletter for Department of Defense employees and retirees. Editorial content is the responsibility of the Public Affairs Office, Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR 97208. Contents herein are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government or the Department of the Army. Layout and printing by USACE Enterprise Information Products Services. Circulation 750. Contributions and suggestions are welcome by mail, phone at (503) 808-4510 or email to [email protected] Check out Corps’pondent online at www.nwp.usace.army.mil/library/districtpublications.aspx

Commander: Col. Jose L. Aguilar Chief, Public Affairs: Matt Rabe Editor: Erica Jensen

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CONTENTS

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® www.nwp.usace.army.mil 3

Col. Jose L. Aguilar

I. [Situation] Describes operational environment including higher headquarters directive, stakeholders, terrain, weather.

(Simplified, think of meeting with a buddy on the street and saying, “What’s up?”)

II. [Mission] Statement addressing the “Who, what, when, where and why.”

(“What are you doing?)

III. [Execution] Includes the intent, concept, scheme, tasks to subordinate units and coordinating instructions.

(“How are you doing it?”)

IV. [Sustainment] Resources required. (“What do you need to do all that?”)

V. [Command and Signal] The methodology to command and control the operation to ensure success.

(“How are you going to ensure it gets done?”)

Commander’s ColumnDoing what we say, saying what we do

The last time we addressed our OPLAN activities happened in 2012 when former commander (and now retired) Col. John Eisenhauer wrote about it in

his February Commander’s Column titled Planning for 2012 and Beyond.

Two years later, we are in the midst of updating our District OPLAN to reflect minor adjustments made by Northwestern Division and HQ USACE.

The OPLAN is our opportunity to capture all of the work and actions we do in a comprehensive document that allows us to demonstrate how we are already (for the most part) executing within their strategic direction. The OPLAN also allows us to incorporate, in writing, how we conduct business so we can understand and better appreciate every team member’s contribution to our overall goal of meeting our missions and delivering for the American people, as directed by Congress and our administration.

The Army teaches a very succinct way to execute any mission directed to us – with a five paragraph Operations Order, commonly known as an OPORD.

I do not want to frighten anyone with the above Army doctrine – I simply want to assure you that what the Portland District is currently doing is already nesting with the Corps’ national and strategic direction. The Strategy Office, with input from the Corporate Board and my personal involvement, is drafting this document. The intent is a comprehensive document depicting what we do. A subset of that document is the OPLAN depicting our nesting with HQ USACE and Northwestern Division.

See next page for a graphic depiction of our mission, key tasks and recommended focus areas for the future in order to improve our organization. These five focus areas will improve our people (our most valuable resource), our processes (gain efficiencies) and our projects/programs (execution; delivery for the region).

Speaking of execution – at the time I wrote this column, we were on track to execute more than $276 million in support of the region. That included nearly 1,000 contracts worth more than $130 million. Great job team!

Happy fiscal New Year to all of you – thank you for your hard work in making FY14 a success. I am humbled by the privilege to lead such a superb team.

Competence follows Character

Col . Jose Aguilar

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Portland DistrictMission

The dedicated people of the Portland District provide vital public engineering services to the Pacific Northwest and Nation during peace and war to strengthen our security, promote a strong economy and enhance environmental sustainability.

Key tasks: � Improving and maintaining navigation for economic development and safety � Preventing and reducing flood damage � Restoring, enhancing and maintaining ecosystems � Generating reliable and efficient hydropower 1.071 in � Regulating activities in wetlands and waterways � Supporting combat, stability and disaster operations through forward deployed and reach-back capabilities � Providing Corps-wide expertise in hydroelectric planning and engineering � Providing safe and healthful recreational opportunities for the public

FY 14-16 OPLAN focus areas:

Ensure that we conduct workforce and workload planning in a consistent and timely manner to support workforce sizing, sustainability, competency and balancing activities.

Increase our STEM outreach activities through partnerships with the education system and other community relations activities.

Developing an approach for proactive, long-term management of information and data that allows Portland District to improve its ability to utilize and integrate existing information to make informed, timely decisions at all levels.

Ensure an integrated, risk-informed asset management program to improve infrastructure reliability.

Ensure that we are fully compliant with cyber security initiatives and readiness.

People Process Programs/Projects

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www.nwp.usace.army.mil 5

Nick Cooper spends most of his time on control

systems inside the powerhouse. Bonneville Lock

and Dam has been installing many upgrades to the

powerhouse and integrating these into the existing

infrastructure keeps him busy.

What do you find most rewarding about your job?

Finishing a job on time and having it all work. The

powerhouse is a very complicated system.

What inspires you or motivates you as you do your

job? I like to tell people that my job is to keep the lights

on. Keeping the big generators running is satisfying

to me. They are larger than me, but a small creature

makes them run.

What are your hobbies?

I live in Hood River, and I embrace the outdoor

activities living there brings. I’ve been skiing since

I was 20 and haven’t missed a season yet. Now I ski

with my family on Mount Hood most every winter

weekend. Mount Hood Meadows is my favorite.

I taught my wife and kids to ski all conditions and

all locations on the mountain. So, you’ll have a hard

time finding us on the slopes as we’ll be skiing; trees,

steeps and ungroomed areas most the time. Heather

Canyon and Marmot Ridge are our preferred spots.

My summer hobby is

easy: kiteboarding. It is

very addictive. It’s a sport that requires

more mental attention, than physical strength. You

have to fly the kite, manage the wind, anticipate the

wind, control your board to take best advantage of the

moment, make sure you can get back to the launch

from where you left, watch out for others, understand

the currents in the river and lookout for barges (that

can’t stop for you if you’re in their path). Then once

you are comfortable with all that, it’s time to play! My

wife and two children are kiting with me now.

What is your favorite travel destination?

Any place warm and sunny, with water and wind

nearby. I also enjoy our many trips to Chile; my wife

is from Chile. I have never had a bad time there…

even when I crashed my in-law’s new car in the

middle of Santiago’s busiest street. I brought half of

an eight-lane boulevard to a halt for 20-plus minutes

… until the police showed up and asked, “Will the car

move?” Yes, I believe it can. “Then get it *&%^ out

of the street!”

Who or what inspires you?

My good health and the sun coming up in the

morning. My grandfather grew up during the Great

Depression; his confidence to somehow fix anything

was an inspiration to me. He would not let anything

stop him from getting it done.

What do you like most about working for the

Portland District?

It allows me to live and work in a beautiful location.

The view from the dam is unbelievable. Every

time I go outside, my eyes go straight to the

wonderful scenery that surrounds us here. ®

Nick Cooper Electrical Craftworker Bonneville Lock and Dam

Portland District People


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Top row: Aaron Litzenberg, Cindy Thrush, Jon Gornick, Alison Burcham, Keith Duffy, Heather Hall, Mike Hall (Heather’s husband). Front row: Kristin Powers, Kristin Stickell, Mary Ocholi and Rich Piaskowski.

Top row: Cheryl Rockawski, Dean Rychlik, Leslie Rychlik, Shelly Hanson, Steve Schlenker (Van 2 driver), Jessie Fox, Melissa Rinehart, Erika Stewart.Front row: Kim Ostler, Monica Carter, Patti Williams, Terri Cote and Gregg Lackey.

“This team was amazing! Rich Piaskowski and Keith Duffy each did three legs since we were one walker short due to a last minute illness, something that I’ve never seen before in my three years in this race. Everyone put their heart into it and all their energy! I’m so proud of them, coming in 35th out of almost 400 teams and 10th in our division!” Aaron Litzenberg, captain, Van 1

“This year included the typical ups and downs with little sleep, dust clouds, helping fallen walkers along the way, pep talks from Louis Landre, pompom brigade cheers along the roadside, unusual comments from passing cars, bad hair days! But we had ideal weather, a blanket of stars, tons of laughs and lots of fun. Add this relay to your bucket list if you haven’t already … it’s a blast!” Patti Williams, captain, Van 1

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Portland District’s Portland to Coast walking teams race toward victory

“One Dam Fine Powerhouse”

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10 3PTC competitions

Team members

Team member work locations: (Block 300, One non-Corps)

Vans

Captains(Van 1: Aaron Litzenberg

and Van 2: Keith Duffy both from Engineering and

Construction Division)

Placement out of 132 teams in mixed-

walker category

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“If This Van’s a Walk’n Don’t Bother Knock’n”

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43 9PTC competitions

Team members

Team member work locations: (Block 300, Northwestern Division,

Bonneville Lock and Dam, non-Corps)

Vans

Captains(Van 1: Patti Williams and

Van 2: Melissa Rinehart both from Natural Resource

Management)

Placement out of 132 teams in mixed-

walker category

Miles

Hours Minutes Seconds

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Bonneville Lock and Dam’s Emergency Response and Rope Rescue teams trained with Skamania County Emergency Medical Service and Life Flight on last August near Bonneville. The teams conducted a scenario with a subject in distress in the water upstream of Bonneville Dam. The team responded, performed CPR, prepared injured person for transport and transferred them to an ambulance. Afterward, they completed the scenario with an orientation and practice loading the injured visitor into a Life Flight Helicopter.

Bonneville’s BERT sharpensrescue skills with Skamania County emergency services


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National AwardsHer coworkers and friends recognize her by her wild curly hair, friendly

smile and engaging demeanor, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently recognized Melissa Rinehart as its National Natural Resources Management Recreation Employee of the Year for 2014.

Rinehart’s reputation for outstanding support of the Corps recreation program is well known locally, regionally and nationally. Her enthusiasm for her work and positive, professional attitude are evident as she supports Portland District’s other natural resource professionals who work in Corps visitor centers and across 20 reservoirs in Oregon and southwest Washington. She supports the District’s water safety and volunteer programs, coordinates District activities with the Wounded Warrior Program, and also serves as the national co-chair of the Recreation and Environmental Stewardship OMBIL User Group.

Rinehart’s strong sense of duty and dedication embody the Army’s spirit of selfless service to the Nation. Please join the Corps’ and Portland District’s leaders in honoring her as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2014 Recreation Employee of the Year.

Doug Knapp was recently recognized with the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Young Government Civil Engineer of the Year Award for his professional contributions to the Corps of Engineers, his dedication to public service and community outreach and for his overarching enthusiasm for the engineering profession.

Prior to joining Portland District’s Dam Safety Office, he was assistant dam safety program manager in the Seattle District. There, he organized and documented regular investigations in accordance with the Corps of Engineers’ dam safety guidelines, provided updates to the Seattle District Dam Safety Committee, requested and managed funding for dam safety projects and oversaw design projects and risk reduction measures.

As ASCE’s Region 8 governor, Knapp spent the last decade as an active member of ASCE’s Seattle Section, where he served as board member, co-chair of the Water Resources Committee, chair of the Committee on Younger Members, president of the Younger Members Forum, member of the Nomination Committee, member of the University Advisory Committee and co-chair of the Popsicle Stick Bridge Competition. Doug was nominated for this award while he was working for the Seattle District.

Doug Knapp wins Young Government Civil Engineer of the Year award

National Resource Management Recreation Employee of the Year – Melissa Rinehart

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The John Day Main Unit 7 Repair team also were honored for their innovation during Portland District’s award ceremony July 29. From left to right: Kevin Brice, deputy district engineer for programs, planning and project management, Jesse Alsup, Marshal Waddington, Charles Davidson, Jeff Phillips, Greg Hicks, all from John Day Dam, Col. Jose Aguilar, Portland District commander. Not pictured: David Mackintosh and Rob Lewis, John Day Dam, Kellen Shide, Hydroelectric Design Center.

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Behind the scenes of the impressive John Day Lock and Dam on the Columbia River, a team of dedicated engineers and maintenance staff are hard at work to keep the hydropower turbines humming. It’s a job that can be both challenging and rewarding.

An unexpected discovery during a scheduled unit overhaul challenged the John Day crew to find an unconventional yet fiscally-viable solution, without sacrificing valuable operational capacity. The skilled eight-member team rose to the test and their success earned them the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2014 Innovation of the Year award.

Just over a year ago the team discovered an oil leak due to a Kaplan turbine O-ring failure on one of the units. The leak had to be stopped before it reached the river, but shutting down the unit for a conventional repair would cost time and money. The team brainstormed solutions and came up with a design that redirected the leaking oil back to its point

of origin; thereby mitigating environmental impacts and preserving operating flexibility and capacities.

The innovative design cost around $162,000 to implement versus approximately $1.2 million. The solution also saved 17 megawatts of power generation, enough to power 8,350 homes; and preserved about $200,000 in annual economic revenue.

This national honor recognizing the John Day team’s innovation and success is one more reason Portland District leaders are understandably proud of the employees who operate and maintain the nation’s infrastructure.

For more on how the team developed and implemented the plan to repair the oil leak, visit http://usaceportland.armylive.dodlive.mil/index.php/2014/06/john-day-dam-team-works-on-fixes-big-and-small/.

John Day Lock and Dam – Innovation of the Year


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A trio of photographs depicts the devastation of the 1964 Christmas Day flood in the upper Sandy River Basin on the western slope of Mount Hood, Oregon.

A few weeks after the statewide flood of 1964, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began work to “put

the (Sandy) river back in the channel it was in prior to the Christmas flood.” Clackamas County commissioners asked property owners on the western slopes of Mount Hood, along U.S. Highway 26 from Brightwood past Rhododendron, to allow the Corps on their properties to tackle flood recovery efforts with bulldozers and backhoes, manipulating river channels and moving massive accumulations of debris.

“The Sandy River in 1964, as in many floods preceding it, scoured a new river channel, leaving communities with losses to public infrastructure and private property,” said Julie Ammann, Portland District’s floodplain services manager. “In a basin like the Sandy, composed of unstable volcanic deposits from Mount Hood and steep slopes that produce fast river currents, the river’s course is unpredictable.”

This means that controlling floods using heavily engineered riverbank stabilization will only work for awhile, especially in dynamic river systems like the Sandy. The Corps’ embankment work back in 1965 helped reduced flood impacts for a few decades but came with costs to the environment and proved no match for the large rain and flood events in 1996, 2006 and 2011.

Shifting river,national policy changes

community’s roleBy Amy Echols, Public Affairs Office

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Flood recovery efforts in the 1960s channelized the upper reaches of the Sandy River as seen in this 1967 aerial photo (left). Five years later, the river reclaimed the area with newly braided routes in the floodplain. Meanwhile, the Timberline Rim residential development takes shape on its eastern, and ever-changing, bank.

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During the flood of 2011, as in 1964, utilities, roads and structures along the Sandy, Zigzag and Salmon rivers, and their tributaries, suffered extensive erosion and damage. The Corps’ approach to recovery in 2011 was very different from that of 1964: the agency sent in no bulldozers and realigned no stream banks.

Portland District used a specific tool to assist the upper Sandy River communities with recovery: issuance of a regional general permit under its regulatory authority. This permit allows specific repairs, reconstruction or restoration activities by property owners themselves. Representatives from Clackamas County and state and federal agencies participated in many local discussions with property owners to support applying for these permits on their own.

This regional permitting approach ensures that property owners’ needs are balanced with those of the community, ensuring cumulative actions up and down the river are minimized. Simply put, the action a homeowner takes to recover a portion of the stream bank cannot impact

property or public infrastructure downstream. Compared to individual permit processes, a regional general permit also ensures compliance with federal and state laws, reduces paperwork and saves time.

In addition, the Corps’ national Flood Risk Management Program in 2009 formally shifted flood responses from highly-engineered solutions to using a variety of strategies to reduce risks before a flood. Ammann said the Corps no longer works to manipulate the land at the expense of the environment or to the magnitude seen in past decades.

“In an era when highly-engineered recovery work is a remote option for the Corps, reducing flood risks in vulnerable and dynamic river basins takes a collaborative effort. This requires property owners, residents, communities and all levels of government to understand their roles and responsibilities in reducing risks – ideally in advance of actual flooding,” Ammann explained. In her position with the Corps, Ammann reminds state and local governments of their authority and responsibility to


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A Zig Zag Village home along the banks of the Sandy River once offered a bucolic setting. A different scene (right) emerged as the unpredictable Sandy River jumped its banks, and scoured a new river channel in January 2011, undercutting homes and wreaking havoc. The Corps and other agencies worked with homeowners on a permitting process to aid recovery.

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determine how to use land in floodplains and to enforce “flood-wise” requirements.

Today, Clackamas County’s Emergency Management Office is leading a collaborative effort to turn this challenge into an opportunity, with the formation of a community-based flood risk management work group among the upper Sandy River communities. This effort could integrate environmental, social and economic factors involved in reducing flood risk and consider all available tools and information to improve public safety in the area.

“The future of the upper Sandy River basin depends on stakeholders working together to ensure everyone is informed about the erosion hazards the river poses and the actions they can take to reduce their risks,” said Jay Wilson, the county’s hazard mitigation coordinator and lead planner for this project. “Our hope is that alongside

residents and property owners in the basin, the county can better understand the short and long-term implications of land use on floods and reduce risks while fostering a more sustainable relationship with the river.”

The Corps is supporting this community’s efforts to reduce flood risk by providing technical, regulatory and public involvement experience to the county’s call for local and collaborative action.

Wilson and Ammann remind the upper Sandy River communities that even new flood studies, using modern surveying and mapping technology, cannot accurately predict the Sandy River’s course during the next flood. They preach the best defense for these conditions, be they in the shadow of Mount Hood or the flatland of the Willamette Valley: prepare for flooding and strive to reduce long-term risks now.

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Corps facilitates Sandy River flood risk discussionsThe Corps’ Conflict Resolution and Public Participation Center of Expertise is facilitating collaboration

between residents and property owners in the upper Sandy River basin and local, state and federal agencies to increase awareness and decrease flood risks. The Center’s Seth Cohen, in consultation with Clackamas County and Portland District, is guiding community-level discussions of flood hazard issues, increased awareness and the future of the local work group. The Corps’ national Public Involvement in Flood Risk Management Pilot Program funds Cohen’s support.

Cohen and Clackamas County’s Jay Wilson convened and facilitated several meetings in the last year to open two-way communication with the appropriate local, state and federal agencies who also are working in the Sandy River watershed. Participants share information about resources and mitigation actions affecting the upper Sandy River communities. This includes progress on the development of flood insurance rate maps and a channel migration zone analysis and the installation of five new flood gauges.

The Oregon Silver Jackets program initiated this collaborative community approach. Oregon Silver Jackets is a multiagency team consisting of federal and state partners seeking to leverage agency roles and funding to develop more comprehensive flood risk management solutions in Oregon.


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Portland District Dam Safety Officer Lance Helwig (left) and Dam Safety Program Manager Matt Craig (second from left) accepted the 2013 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Dam Safety Team of Excellence award from Corps Special Assistant for Dam and Levee Safety Eric Halpin and Dam Safety Program Manager Barbara Schuelke Aug. 27 at the Corps’ 2014 Dam Safety Officer Workshop in St. Louis, Missouri.

Portland District team winsdam safety excellence award

By Scott Clemans, Public Affairs Office

Portland District’s Spillway Gate Reliability Team has been named the 2013 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’

Dam Safety Team of Excellence.

The award recognizes the team members for their role in executing a $41 million (so far) spillway gate rehabilitation program to improve dam and public safety. It also honors their contribution to advancing dam safety within Northwestern Division and the Corps overall.

Portland District Dam Safety Officer Lance Helwig and Dam Safety Program Manager Matt Craig accepted the award from Corps Special Assistant for Dam and Levee Safety Eric Halpin and Dam Safety Program Manager Barbara Schuelke Aug. 27 at the Corps’ 2014 Dam Safety Officer Workshop in St. Louis, Missouri.

Portland District started to find problems with many of its dams’ spillway gates in 2008. While designed and constructed to the standards of the day, time and increased use of the gates to meet downriver fish passage and water

temperature requirements have led to degradation of mechanical and electrical systems.

Inspections discovered a variety of issues, including buckling of end frames and beams, frozen trunnion pins, failed and frayed wire ropes, and failed electrical relays and limit switches.

The bottom line is that some of these gates may not operate properly when water levels are high and placing significant pressure on them. This may result in a gate failing to open when desired, or becoming stuck in the open position when attempting to close it. This would limit or perhaps even compromise our ability to control water releases from that dam.

Spillway Gate Reliability Team members

• Travis Adams, Structural and Architectural Design Section

• David Bardy, Willamette Valley Project

• James Boag, Mechanical Design Section

• Jim Calnon, HDC Mechanical Branch

• Jason Chase, Structural and Architectural Design Section

• Matt Craig, Concrete and Dam Safety Section

• Laurie Ebner, Hydraulic Design Section

• Bill Fortuny, Electrical Design Section

• Kristy Fortuny, Structural and Architectural Design Section

• David Hamernik, Structural and Architectural Design Section

• Matt Hanson, Structural and Architectural Design Section

• Matt Hess, Mechanical Design Section

• Anil Naidu, Willamette Valley Project

• Mark Sawka, Design Branch

• Gavin Smith, Structural and Architectural Design Section

• Austin Welborn, Structural and Architectural Design Section

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Portland District’s Spillway Gate Reliability Team has been called upon to address a variety of issues, including buckling of end frames and beams, frozen trunnion pins, failed and frayed wire ropes, and failed electrical relays and limit switches.

Immediate action was required. The challenge facing the Spillway Gate Reliability Team was enormous. Portland District’s 108 spillway gates range from 34 to 78 years old, with the majority well over 50.

The multi-disciplinary team started by evaluating risks by river systems and specific dams, and absorbing design guidance and knowledge that has evolved from field experiences like the 1995 Folsom Dam gate failure. The team also studied and adopted industry welding and fabrication improvements. This work provided the foundation for developing a “worst first” prioritization of repairs and improvements.

The prioritization effort led to early replacement or repair of critical components at Lookout Point, Dexter, Fall Creek and Hills Creek dams, which reduced but did not completely eliminate the risk of uncontrolled releases from those gates.

With the worst of the risk mitigated, the team began planning and executing more comprehensive rehabilitation projects. Foster Dam’s spillway gates and associated systems were rehabilitated in 2009, followed by Dexter and Big Cliff dams.

On-site work to rehabilitate Fall Creek and Green Peter dams’ spillway gates and associated systems started in September.

The team was recognized for its flexibility and innovation in overcoming a variety of challenges, including meeting

downriver flow targets during construction, continuing flood control operations, and accommodating road access for wildland fire fighting and other critical needs.

For example, many of our dams do not have stop logs to dewater the gates for repair. To overcome this deficiency, the team designed a unique bracing method that used the radial portion of the gate as a bulkhead that transferred water pressure to the spillway bay piers instead of the gates’ arms, allowing the arms to be removed and either strengthened or replaced.

The team also developed an operations inspection and testing policy that has become the basis for a Northwestern Division policy, further improving gate reliability across the region.

During design and construction of these rehabilitations, team members have developed significant expertise in welding, fabrication, self-lubricated bushings, machinery design and controls, and other specialties. This expertise hasn’t gone unnoticed – Portland District has been requested to support similar efforts in Baltimore, Omaha, Sacramento and Los Angeles districts.

In short, Portland District’s Spillway Gate Reliability Team has made substantial contributions to dam and public safety not only in the Willamette Valley, but throughout the nation. They are bringing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ vision to life: “Engineering solutions for our Nation’s toughest challenges.”

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Benches, paths and other planned recreation features will encourage visitors to the Springfield Mill Race to enjoy the view and explore the area along the river.

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Imagine leaving your office at lunch time, walking across the street fishing pole in hand and catching your dinner.

It’s not hard to imagine when you’re standing on a hill overlooking the newly restored Springfield Mill Race near downtown Springfield, Oregon.

It’s the image Len Goodwin, Springfield development and public works director, described to the people who gathered on that hill July 21, to celebrate the mill race and the partners that worked to bring it new life.

“It’s been a labor of love for us,” said Goodwin. “For us it is a culmination of what it means to be Springfield: we found a resource, we found a use for it, we found a way to make it work, and we did it.”

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, partnered with the city of Springfield and others to complete the Springfield Mill Race Ecosystem Restoration Project under Section 206 of the Continuing Authorities Program.

Kevin Brice, Portland District deputy district engineer for programs and project management, addressed the audience at the event, and explained the Corps’ role in the project and how it supports the Corps mission to protect and restore the nation’s aquatic environment.

“We’re committed to strengthening our nation through projects like this,” said Brice. “We have to be good stewards of our financial and natural resources. This project and this partnership reflect that commitment.”

Local planning for the Springfield Mill Race ecosystem restoration began in Springfield in the early 1990s; construction began in May 2010. It included building a new inlet from the Middle Fork Willamette River and removing a fish ladder to support fish passage. When construction finished in December 2012, the mill race was transformed into three separate seasonal ponds with cooler water temperatures and habitat better able to support fish, waterfowl and other wildlife. ®

Partners makeSpringfield dream a reality

By Michelle Helms, Public Affairs Office

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The Corps of Engineers worked with the city of Springfield and other partners to complete the ecosystem restoration project under Section 206, Continuing Authorities Program.

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Continuing Authorities ProgramThe Continuing Authorities Program authorizes the Corps to respond to water resource problems. The Corps

can construct water resource projects within certain scope and funding limitations, without specific congressional approval.

A requirement for application of this authority is sponsorship and cost sharing. The sponsoring agency may be a state, county, city or other non-Federal entity empowered to provide items of local cooperation and to pay the local share of project costs. Local sponsors are required to:

• Provide all necessary lands, easements rights-of-way, relocations.• In most instances, agree to operate and maintain the project after construction.• Share planning and engineering costs associated with determining project feasibility.• Share project implementation costs.

All projects, except for environmental projects, must be economically justified on a benefit-to-cost basis.

Key project features of Springfield Mill RaceImproved fish and wildlife habitat by providing suitable rearing and wintering habitat for juvenile salmon and creating/restoring wetland and riparian habitat for wildlife species. Chinook salmon, steelhead, and cutthroat trout are expected to particularly benefit from off-channel rearing habitat. Native fish species will significantly benefit from the new rearing and holding habitat.

• Wildlife such as western pond turtle, red-legged frogs, neotropical migratory birds, beaver, otter and waterfowl will benefit from the created riparian and floodplain forested areas as well as floodplain wetlands.

• The 30-acre Mill Pond was converted to approximately 3.8 acres of open water side channel, 2.6 acres of seasonally ponded wetlands, 16.6 acres of seasonally saturated or inundated shrub and emergent wetland, and 7 acres of riparian buffer.

• The entire 30 acres was revegetated with native trees, shrubs and emergent vegetation and a gravel substrate was placed on the new channel. Large woody debris also was placed in the channel and wetland areas.


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®

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers prohibits hunting on Corps property between Celilo Park and the city of Arlington in

Oregon.

With waterfowl hunting season beginning Sept. 6, the Corps urges all hunters to respect the boundaries of Corps projects when they are hunting in these areas.

“Hunting is a time-honored activity in Oregon and throughout the West,” said Col. Jose Aguilar, the Corps’ Portland District commander. “However, the area between The Dalles and John Day dams is very popular for a variety of recreational activities, including camping, hiking and fishing. We need to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable visit to our facilities and lands.”

Before the Corps changes hunting restrictions, it must consider the impacts for safety, environmental review and tribal consultation, Aguilar added.

The hunting prohibition includes, but is not limited to, the operational footprints of John Day and The Dalles dams. Additionally, no hunting is allowed at Celilo Park and Rufus Landing, the two recreation areas on The Dalles Lock and Dam property, nor at the two John Day Lock and Dam recreation areas, Giles French Park and Lepage Campground and day use area.

To learn more about where hunting is allowed on Corps lands contact the park rangers at the recreation area where you plan to visit.

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife recently opened public hunting for pheasant, quail, partridge, waterfowl, snipe and rabbit with shotgun and bow using flu-flu arrows on state land along this river corridor, identified as the Columbia River State Wildlife Refuge, in the 2014 -2015 Oregon Game Bird Regulations.

REMINDER: HUNTING NOT ALLOWED ON MOST CORPS LANDS

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during one of Portland’s heaviest snowfalls in years, a MAX Red Line train headed for the airport is eastbound on NE Holladay Street at Grand Avenue.

ODOT crews work to clear debris from a clogged culvert along Oregon Highway 38. The January 2012 storm washed mud and lots of debris into culverts, eroding the road shoulder and flooding the highway.

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REACT, Portland District’s new Emergency Management tool

By Heidi Dimercurio, Public Affairs Office

Portland District’s Emergency Management team is fielding a new Regional Emergency Alert

Communication Tool.

REACT will help protect District personnel by providing a flow of communications and acknowledgements before, during and after an incident – keeping personnel informed, obtaining actionable responses and providing crucial administrative information. The new system will notify District personnel of an emergency situation and will be used for notification of natural and weather-related alerts.

REACT will provide alerts to registered users though multiple means. It will provide government computer users on the District network with desktop pop-up alerts. Employees may also register for other alert notifications, including email to personal email accounts, telephone calls to cell and/or landline and text messaging. Users who receive alerts can respond to acknowledge receipt of the message and provide additional status information, if requested by the system operator. In addition to entering their work emails and phone numbers, users may also voluntarily elect to receive notification via their personal phone numbers and email addresses.

All contact information within REACT will only be seen by authorized administrators and use of this information will be strictly for official notifications. Portland District’s goal

is to quickly reach 100 percent of the affected employee population in the event of an emergency and to rapidly provide employees with key or critical information.

Training for Emergency Management personnel, Security and Safety personnel, operating project managers and their designated operators and administrators of the system has already begun. Additional onsite trainings are scheduled. Exercises and system drills to validate the system’s operational capability will take place through early fall.

If you have questions please contact Tracy Bell via email.

REACT is a product of AtHoc, Inc., the leading provider of mass notification and emergency communication technologies to the U.S. Government. They have deployments around the world and are currently protecting over two million military and federal government personnel. ®

REACT has been installed on District computers. Users should verify the software installation by locating the purple globe icon on the lower task bar of their computer. If you do not see the icon, contact ACE-IT for assistance in loading the program onto your desktop/laptop computer. Employees who still need to register for REACT should visit the District’s intranet for instructions.

Employees! Find REACT on your computer!


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A kayaker and truck “share the road” on Oregon Highway 36 in Mapleton (near Eugene) which was closed due to flooding on Jan. 19, 2012.

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Prepare for an emergency now!You are the face of the Corps. Share these messages with your family, friends and community.

®

Every Corps employee should have a preparedness plan in case of natural or man-made disaster so that you and

your family are best prepared to survive any type of disaster and also ensure that USACE can successfully respond.

For information about making a plan, visit the Ready Army website, the Department of Homeland Security website and the American Red Cross website.

Create an Emergency PlanTo create an emergency plan, identify likely disasters in

your area. Establish your evacuation and communications procedures knowing that many communities have predetermined routes of egress, and that cell phone/text towers and phone lines may not work. Create an in-case-of-emergency card that outlines where you and your loved ones should go during an emergency. Practice several times a year.

Assemble an Emergency KitYour emergency kit should include supplies for at least

three days. Think of items that have multiple uses and are long lasting. Keep a kit at home and consider kits for other locations… your car, at work and a portable version.

Shelter – Weather-appropriate clothing/sleeping bags/shelters that will keep you warm and dry.

Water – At least one gallon per person per day for at least three days (1 person will need 3 gallons of water).

Food – Items that are high energy, nonperishable and require no preparation.

First Aid/Medical/Sanitation – A first aid kit that has an emphasis on traumatic injury, non-prescription and prescription medications, and personal sanitation supplies such as moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties.

Communication – Hand-crank radio and flashlights, bright-colored plastic poncho, and battery-operated cell phone, plus a charger and extra batteries. Be sure to stay tuned to a radio or TV for information or instructions.

Tools – Fire-making materials, a multi-tool, a tool for turning off utilities, cash in small bills and pencil and paper.

Contacts – Keep a list of USACE coworkers and supervisors and 877-HI USACE (877-448-7223) to notify of your safety.

USACE Role in Disaster Response By preparing for the safety of you and your family,

you are helping ensure that the Corps of Engineers can respond to our disaster mission when assigned by Federal Emergency Management Agency. Corps employees stand ready to engage in disaster support missions that include debris management, water procurement, temporary housing and roofing, emergency power, infrastructure assessment and support to urban search and rescue.

SHARING THE CORPS MESSAGE:

vol. 38, no. 5 september - october 2014 - united states …. 38, no. 5 september - october 2014...

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